Mexico weekly ledger., 1887-08-18
AUDRAIN J. BUTTER.
A Fine Display az the Fair-Interesf-
ing Letter From I. N, Hathaway.

Correspondence OF the Ledger,
MExIco, Mo-, August Is, -Aeri-
cultural Hall was ON Thursday last
well represented by the butter nan
ufacturers of Audrain county, Thirty
one samples Of butter were entered
for the premiums offered by the AS
sociation and the individual premi-
ums given by Hord and Easter. The
Association had been to considerable
trouble to organize an examining
committee of experts from abroad,
who would at least be acknowledged
as fully competent t. award proper
premiums on the article of butter as
could be found anywhere in the
State. Messrs. Irwin, of Fulton, +,
Swan, of Galloway county and j. NJ.
Smith, of Audrain constituted that
committee. No objection belug made
to the committee as organized, they
commenced their work promptly at
II O'Clock with closed doors. No
one was permitted to enter the hall
until their examination was complet-
ed and the awards made. They were
systematic in their work, passing
first upon each and every one of
the samples of butter before them.
from which they selected zine samples
deduced to be the best and from
which the premium butter should be
selected. So various We're the reasons
for which the reasons for which the
% samples were placed one side or
would not bear the test of choice but
ter by experts, it would be almos.
sup%eriuous for me to give in detail
their eason for discarding such SAM
pies. Among other things they at
trlbuted the want of proper convent
ences, suitable water for cows, the
chief causes of y small grade of but
ter. Mr.. Irwin stated in most IN
qualified terms hal no person can
make good butter without proper
feed and water for COWS and suitable
conveniences, especially during the
hot days Of August. The following
awards were made; Miss Smith, of
Lick Creek, first premium; Miss
Stuart, of Mexico, second and Mrs.
Emmons, third. The six samples
not being the best, if a more careful
examination were made by Mrs.
Tucker, of Mexico; Mrs. Dollie Has
lip, Mrs. Joseph Bennett, Mrs. JOS.
Mcdonald. of Galloway; Mrs. George
Barnett and Mrs. Wayne.
: The practice somewhat in vogue
to surround butter with flowers,
when prepared for exhibition, should
not be practiced, and greater care
should be taken in storing to keep it
from being tinctured with bad odors
as no such butter will command good
prices or pass the examination Of ex-
perts without detection. The i'm
portance of this particular industry
so we'll understood by the Fair Asso-
citation and of such vast importance
to the farming interests of this coun-
try may be judged by the following
facts, obtained from the official rec
ords of the Agricultural Department
at Washington: Mr.. j. R. Dodge,
the statistlcan of the department, re-
ports that the average value of our
dairy products including milk,
annually during the previous
five years has been $500, 00O, 900.
This year the value of these products
will be $3.50, 900, 900. This exceeds
our annual wheat yield by $50, O00,-
900 and comes next to corn which is
the most valuable of all our farm
produc is. In 1860 Jul annual dairy
product was about $4,000, 900. The
quantity of butter product is l.
100000, 900 pounds; of cheese about
six millions 100000 pounds.
As to butter, SO 1-2 per cent. of
our total product is consumed at
home and l 1-2 per cent. shipped
abroad.
This makes the average annual
consumption p l-2 pounds per capita.
Last year u shipment Of cheese
to the English market reached some
thing over $1,000, 900 pounds, valued
at $9,172,000.